Improvement in machines for manufacturing cordage



iff/MQW@ N-PETERS. PHOTG-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTDN. D. D.

Ny PETERS. FKoTD-LITHOGHAP'HER, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ALFRED IIA'I`lIA\VAY, OF BOSTON, MASSACIIUSE'I" IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING CORDAGE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1,228, dated July 9, i839.

To all whom t 'H1/my concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED HATHAWAY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machinery Used for Manufacturing Oordage of Various Kinds, and for such other purposes connected with the twisting and laying up of strands to which the same maybe successfully applied, of which the following is a specification.

These improvements, the principles thereof, and manner in which Ihave contemplated their application, by which they may be distinguished from other inventions, together with such parts, improvements, and combinations, I claim as myinvention and hold to be original and new, I have hereinafter described, which description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings herein referred to, com pose my specification.

Figure l, Plate l, represents a top view or plan of myimprovements. Figs. 2 and 3 are detailed views of some of the parts which I shall hereinafter mention and describe. Fig. l, Plate 2, exhibits a side elevation of the machinery.

It being customary, generally speaking, to lay up or twist ropes and cordage of different kinds in very large or extensive buildings, usually denominated rope-Walks, the intention of my improvements is to render these buildings unnecessary to a considerable extent, if not entirely, and at the same time that the rope is laid in a small or ordinary building it shall be twisted together or man ufactured in a much more perfect manner in many respects than can be effected by any of the modes formerly practiced.

I am aware that the object of my improvements has heretofore been lthe cause of the invention of many machines, which have been patented both in this and other countries. As most of these machines were not capable of performing the work of laying up cordage in a satisfactory manner, owing to faults in the construction and operation, none have as yet,- to my knowledge, been successfully introduced.

To remedy the faults observable in the different machines with which I am acquainted, and to invent a machine which shall be capable of performing the laying up of cordage in as perfect a manner as can be desired, has

`with said shaft while in motion.

chinery is to be properly applied to a cogwheel B, Plate 2, Fig. l, on the extremity of the shaft A A; or the shaftA A may be turned in any other convenient and effective manner. The shaft A A passes through a hollow shaft O, Fig. l, Plate 2, projecting from and `strongly attached to and supported in any `suitable manner by the standard or upright post D D, constructed of cast-iron, wood, or other suitable material. A large cogged wheel E, Fig. I, Plate 3, is attached to the opposite end of the stationary and hollow shaft C, and in the interior and near each end of ithe hollow shaft O are suitable bearings or boxes, in which the shaft A A is supported j and revolves. A large circular plate or framed wheel F F F, Fig. l, Plate 3, is attached by a neck G to the shaft A A, and thus revolves The necks H, of any proper number of fliers I I I, are sustained and revolved in bearings connected with theplate F F. (See Fig. 1, Plates l and 2.) Each neck has a gear or spur wheel J, the teeth of which engage with another gear-wheel K', attached to the side of a third gear-wheel L, both combined, playing loosely upon one axis M, which axis projects from and is attached to or near the extremity of a piece of metal N of suitable shape and held rmly to the face of the circular plate F by a bolt or bolts with screws and nuts, as seen in Fig. l, Plates l and 3, at O and P. rlhe latter cogged wheel L engages with the stationary cogged wheel E on the hollow shaft C, and it will easily be seen by inspection of the drawings that as the circular plate F on the main shaft revolves with the said shaft the gear L will move over the fixed or stationary cogged circumference ofthe gear E, by which motion the gear L, with the gear K attached thereto, will be caused to revolve on the short shaft INI IWI, thus communicating motion to the cogged wheel .I on the neck H of the flier I, and of course causing the revolution of the flier. The pieces of metal N, to which the gearwheels K L are attached, should be so connected to the face of the circular plate F as to be readily and easily removed whenever it may be necessary to substitute gears of larger or smaller dimensions to change the speed -of the liiers; and it will be seen that the gears K L are only intervening wheels between the great stationary gear E on the extremity of the hollow shaft C and the gearJon the neck H of the flier I, and are for the purpose of giving a rotary motion to the iiiers to twist the strand. By varying the dimensions of the combined wheels K and L the amount of twist of the strand may be changed whenever necessary.

Q Q Q Q, Fig. 1, Plate l, is a bent rod formed as seen in the drawings, or otherwise properly shaped. The bent ends of this rod are fastened to the extremities of the body of the flier I. A knee or strut R R R, rmly attached to the face of the circular plate F, supports at its other extremity and serves as a bearing forathe central part of the bent piece Q Q Q Q, while the iiier revolves. The object of the bent piece Q Q Q Q is to sustain the ends of the axis of the bobbin S S, as seen at T T, in Fig. l, Plates l and 2, which represents small boxes properly formed, into which the ends ofthe axis of the bobbin are inserted and in which the axisrevolves. The bobbins or spools S S revolve endwise with the iiier and parallel to the face of the plate or framed wheel F, the spool working sufficiently hard in the bearings to impart to the strand a proper degree of tension or prevent it from running off loose. This may be regulated by gear attached to the face of the wheel or plate F, the neck of the flier revolving in and passing through the same. A gear-wheel b on a shaft c engages with the xed gear a. On the opposite end of the shaft cis a small pinion d, which engages with and turns a geared wheel e on the shaft f.

The frame-work attached to the frame U'U, or that which supports the gear-wheels b d, should be so connected to the frame U U as to readily admit of a change of the gear CZ for others of different diameters, as the rendering up of the strands may require. This may be accomplished in various Ways, and will be readily understood by mechanics generally. The gear-wheel d is to be'so attached to the end of the shaft c as to be easily detached when it is necessary to substitute another. The shaft f has an endless screw g, which turns a gear-wheel e' on the shaft V. A loose pulley 7L runs on the shaft V. This pulley is fitted or rests against a proper shoulder t' on the shaft V and should be grooved out on its circumference, as represented in ig.1,Platc l, so as to admit of one or more turns of the strand, as may be deemed necessary to prevent the same from slipping. A loose collar 7c presses against the loose pulley h on the op posite side to that which rests against the shoulder i, and should be prevented from revolving on the shaft by means of a small key in the pulley resting in a longitudinal groove of the shaft V or in any other convenient or proper manner. A wound circular spring Z encircles the shaft V, one end of this spring resting against the shoulder 7e and the other `against a nut on, which works on a screw n,

formed on the shaft V. By turning up the nut n any required degree of pressure of the spring against the collar it may be applied to said collar, so as to pinch the pulley 7L between it and the shoulder'i and produce friction on the pulley, so as to regulate the strain or ten sion of the strand.

In order to impart to the strands a suitable degree of twist, it is necessary that they should be strained endwise as much as may be required,not only to prevent them from becoming loose, but to keep them drawn sufficiently tight, so that the strandlayer may elfectually accomplish its office. Therefore it will be seen that the above is the object of the pulley h and other machinery attached to the frame U U U U. The pulley h bythe operation of the machinery which causes it to revolve renders up or delivers the strand very nearly as fast as may be necessary; but if by any cause more strand is required than the gears of the above machinery will allow the pulley to furnish, the pulley will slip a little on its axis or overcome thefriction produced bythe collar 7c and spring Z,and thus yield the desired quantity. It will be s'een, therefore, that the loose pulley will always preserve an equal tension on the strand.

The neck H of the iier is formed hollow and bell-mouthed, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, Plate 2. The strand after leaving the bobbin is passed through the hollow part of the neck to and around the draft or regulating pulley 7L. From thenc'e it is carried through small eyes o (in the extremity of bent armsp, attached to the leg XV of the frame 'U U) to the strand-layer on the extremity of the long spindle q q. The object of the eye o viis to support the strand in the direction parallel to the axis of the i'iier during the revo- `lutionsvof the said flier, by which means the `strand is kept on the circumference of the pulley 71,.

At the end of the main shaft A Athe spindle q q is coupled by a proper box of the usual construction. On the other end of the spindle q q is a collar s, the spindle being supported -at this extremity during its revolutions by a upward from the same.

Lees e from the bobbin or spools are passed and continued through the grooves of the strand-layer X on the extremity of Athe spindle q q. The

strand-layer is formed by tapering or giving to the extremity of the spindle the shape of a frustum of a cone and cutting grooves or scores in the surface either straight or diagonally around the .surface of the frustum.

`Into these grooves the strands are received,

and as they leave the same are laid or twisted together by the revolutions of the spindle q q.

or twisted. The lower roller ,e is supported in bearings near the top of the standardv a. The upper roller y rests ou thel lower roller .e and is lifted fromv it by the cordage in'tervening between them, and which during the operation of the machinery gives`motion to both rollers. Each extremity b b of the axis of the upper roller extends past the sides of the standard a', so that a weight cl may be suspended thereon by straps d' d', proceeding While the cordage is being laid it is held firm by means of the above rollers, the upperof whichis weighted,

as above described, or in any other convenient or proper manner. The cordage is drawn from the strand-layer X by a grooved wheel or pullev e (see Fig. l, Plate l) on. 'the extrernity of a shaft f', revolving in suitable boxesv or bearings r" r attached to the u er r .l .l DI

beams of the frame v 27. on the highest part of the grooved wheel or pulley e', taking one or more turns naround the same, as may be necessary, to prevent it from slipping on the circumference of the wheel, and works down by the assistance of a guide f". The guide f is simply a piece of metal suitably shaped and attached to the frame o in any proper manner, and having a bent and*y wedge shaped end, which rest-s against the side of the cordage merely to give. it a proper direction toward the opposite side of the wheel or pulley to which it entered, thus assisting the cordage to run free to the loose pulley g. The pulley g runs on a stud supported by a standardn. (See Figs. l and 3, Plate l.) The standard h is attached to the end of the rack vL" of the traverse motion,

which regulates the winding of the cordage on the reelj.

Havingthus described the machinery which twists and lays the strand, or traced the strand from the bobbiu to the reel, on which the rope is woundas it is formed, I shall now proceed to describe other parts of the machinery, which are for the purpose of aiding some of the operations before mentioned, and irst I shall mention that which causes the shaft f to revolve. A gear-wheel 71; of suitable proportions is fixed on the shaft A A, and also another gear l' is attached to the, extremity of a shaft m m. (See Fig. l, Plates 1 and 2, and Fig. 2, Plate 3.) Between these gear- The cordage enters wheels above mentioned a sufficient number of gear-wheels are interposed to conveya due degree of motion to the shaft m m. These wheels, as represented in the drawings, are two in number-viz., n 0. The wheel k, imparting motion to the wheel n', gives motion to the wheel o', which is fixed on the same axis, and the wheel o', working into the large gear Z', gives the required motion to the shaft m m. The frame-work r r should be so arranged as to admit a change of the gearwheels n o for others of different dimensions for the purpose of regulating the draft of the cordage bythe pulley e', according to the size of the cordage to be manufactured or to other circumstances. This is effected by means of aslot in the frame-work r o", which allows the axes of the wheels n o to move up and down in the same, thenut p serving to clamp it in any desired position. The frame rr is attached to the frame q q, (which likewise supports one end of the shaft m m,) and the position of the frame 0^ r on the frame q q may be varied at pleasure by means of the slots and clamps shown at S S.

The wheel e,which regulates the draft of the cordage, is turned in the following manner: On the shaft m m is affixed the beveled pinion t', which works into and turns the large beveled gear u on the axisf, on which the wheel e is also situated.

The rotation of the shaftfu, on which the reel'is situated, is effected as follows: Another beveled rpinion w is aifixed to the ex tremity of the shaft m m', which engages with and turns the beveled gear. This wheel is loose on the axis c and bears against a shoulder y' on said axis. 1t also has a collar cl2, spring b2, and nut c2, similar in arrangement and construction to those before described .and denoted by k l m, so that by turning the it will be obvious that a less number of revolutions will ,be requisite to take up the same length of cordage. As cordage is not always twisted or laid up in the same direction, it may be necessary to reverse the motion of the machinery which performs this part of the opera-tiomwhile it is absolutely essential that t-he winding apparatus should move in the same direction, This latter object is effected by the interposition of the small gearwheel a3 between the wheels 71; n', the operation of which will be readily understood.

Having thus completed the description of the machinery which causes the revolution of the shaft l2J', it now becomes necessary to explain that by which the rope as fast as laid is regularly wound over the reel. It will be seen that to effect this it is necessary to take into account the winding of the rope sidewise to and fro in regular layers over the surface ol' the rcel, and also the gradualenlargement ol the coil, which takes place'bythe overlapping of the rope. A cogged wheel 7a2 (see Fig. 1, Plate 2) is itted on the extremity of` a horizontal shaft i2, Figs. 1 and 3, Plate 1, and Fig. l, Plate 2, more particularly seen in Fig. 3, Plate l. Between the gears g2 and 7a2' are two combined intervening gears Zzmz, through which motion is communicated from the wheel g2 to 7c. The standard n2, Fig. l, Plate 2, which supports these combinedgears PM2, should be so attached to the frame o o by a screw and nut a that these gears may be changed for others of different dimensions, as the size ot the cordage may require. An endless screw fn? (see Fig. 3, Plate 1) is fixed on the shaft 'i2 and operates in the teeth of and turns round a gear-wheel o2, which operates the traverse motion that regulates the Winding of the cordage on the reel. Agear-wheel p2 on the same shaft with o2 opera tes with another gear-wheel q2. Behind these gear-wheels and attached to them are sectional gearwheels-that is to say, wheels of the same size ot` p2 and q2, and in which a certain number of the teeth are removed from each. The teeth of these sectional wheels operate in the rack Il and impart to the same a reciprocating rectilinear motion. Thilo the teeth ot'one semi-circumference of one of the sectional wheels are engaged with the teeth of the rack the teeth of the other are disengagedfand the rack is moved in one direction as far as is de- `sii-able. As soon as the lasttooth of the first vsectional wheel leaves the teeth ot' the rack which four or more bars u2 are inserted.,

Each of these bars has a joint at one end, as seen at o2, Fig. 2, Plate l, and it extends through the opposite head s?, resting on lthe beveled edge to2 Q02 of a nut 002. Then the nut is uuscrewed or removed, the bars fall toi ward the center and leave the coil loose on 'the'reeh f,

' Having thus-described my invention and improvements, I shall claim ,in the above-as follows: f

l. The mode of regulating the twist by `means ot the changeable com/bined wheels, in combination with the'gearmiheel on the neck. of the flier and on the end of the fixed hollow shaft, asherein described.

2. The apparatus which draws the strand yfrom the bobbin or spool and regulates the delivery and tension of the strand, which is situated on the opposite side ot the circular plateF to that on which the fiiers are arranged-that is to say, the combination ot the draft-pulley L, spiral spring Z, and nut lm,.and other parts attached to the frame U U, this apparatus thus combined being operated by the fixed gear a, all as herein described.

3. The method of adapting the machine to different-sized cordage by coupling the main shaft and spindle, as herein described.

4. The arrangement, substantially as described, of the machinery intervening between the gear-wheel k and the reel-shaft Vfor the purpose ot giving motion to the reel-shaft for the object of winding the cordage on the reel, in combination with the collar d2, spring b2, and nut c2, and reel, in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth, and also for regulating the Winding of lthis 21st day ot' June,in the year 1839.

. ALFRED HATHAWAY. :XYtnesses:

AJOHN R. ADAN,

'IZRA LINCOLN, Jr. 

